Fiery Frost
by Randaacx
Summary: Being a teenage mom isn't easy, especially when you've just been Marked. Estella Isolde thought she only had to take care of a child but now she has to go through school all over again while also keeping her kid a secret and deal with an old love reappearing. Can Estella adjust to her new life while also protecting her loved ones from the darkness within the House of Night?
1. Chapter One

The day the Tracker came it felt like the world had stopped turning. Everything that could possibly go wrong in world had crushed against me like a wave from the ocean of fucked up. It was obvious that it was something that I considered to be fucked up since the first words I said when I noticed the tall, slender man with a blue crescent moon imprinted in the middle of his forehead were, "Fuck this."

I had gone almost three years without cussing and that streak had been broken in the matter of seconds.

Today was the first day in a couple weeks that I was actually free to do what I wanted to do. Now why does an eighteen year have such a lack of free time? Well that could be explained in one word: Responsibilities. Now most people (mainly adults) that find out I have responsibilities always stick their nose up and make snide comments that usually sound like, " _You don't have responsibilities, you're only eighteen,"_ or, _"Having a lot of homework and doing after school activities or getting ready for graduation during your senior year does not count as responsibilities."_

It's almost insulting how quick they are to make judgements and jump to conclusions just based on the fact that even though I'm legally an adult, they still view me as a teenager. Most of the time I laugh it off without informing them that I have a part-time job to help pay for food and bills. Some of them don't believe I help out and some of them say that's still not having responsibility. Though my job takes up most of my weekends along with what little social life I have.

I used to be a fairly popular girl in school with a good bit of friends. Well, that was until I was forced to move from Chicago to the town of Tulsa, Oklahoma. My father's job had forced us to pack our things up and move to where they wanted my father to work at. My younger sister and I had to leave the only friends I had ever known and move to a place where no one knew us. We didn't have family in this part of the country. Yet that didn't matter to our father because pleasing his bosses was more important that what his children wanted. Though it wasn't completely terrible. I had just had first heartbreak of my life and I couldn't deal with everyone at school asking me what happened between me and my ex-boyfriend because even though we were young, we had been together for two years, which was a while for someone in middle school and first entering high school.

After moving to Tulsa, my mother had suggested to me to find a job to preoccupy my time (and my mind) while I was adjusting to all the changes. I didn't argue with this. Even though my family was pretty well off thanks to my dad's business career, I decided why not start taking some responsibility in my life? Though between my school life, work, and my life at home, I barely had time to entertain myself.

"But can you believe him, Stella?" A high pitched voice scowls in my ear, dragging me from my thoughts.

My brows furrow as I look up from my chili cheese fries to look up at my best friend, Holly. The curls of her brown hair crowned her face as her round, brown eyes stared at me for an answer. "I'm sorry, what?" I question before stifling a cough, a ping of regret washed through me for not paying attention to her. She had clear time her day to hang out me after knowing that it was my first free time in weeks.

"You weren't paying attention to me?" Holly squeaks while slamming her hand on the table. "I was telling you that I caught Kyle talking to another girl on his Facebook yesterday."

" _Again?_ " I speak in tone that said that was such bullshit. Bullshit that her boyfriend, Kyle, had talked to another girl for the fifth time and also because I knew Holly probably forgave, again. "What is this, the sixteenth time?"

Holly clicks her tongue. "It's the sixth time." At this remark, I shoot her a look that says, _That's bs._ "Alright, I know I've forgiven him too many times, Stella, but I love him. We've been together since sophomore year and I'm not ready to let him go," she pleads her case while munching on some fries.

At this I couldn't help but shake my head. "But he's just gonna keep talking to other girls. And who's to say he won't take that talking to another level with them?" Really, how could she be so naive?

Holly squeaks at this. "He wouldn't do that."

"But he's already talking to them and who's to stop him from doing so? Dump him before you catch a STD or end up being a child's second mama." I didn't trust guys who talked to other girls behind their girlfriends back to have enough intelligence to actually use protection. In some way or another, they slip up and my best friend didn't need that.

Holly shakes her head. "Alright, let's just end this discussion. What have you been doing lately?"

This results in an eye roll. "The same things I'm always doing. School, work, and being stuck at home," I sigh while dipping a fry into the cheese and chili dip before a few coughs tore through my throat.

"Girl, you need more free time. You're too young to not have time for yourself," Holly says matter-of-factly. "And get some cold medicine. Your coughs are getting bad."

"Yeah but I have responsibilities," I breathe out, my throat aching from the fit of coughs I kept having. My body ached all over today and my throat was sore along with a bad cough. I had been taking cough drops all day like they were candy. It didn't make me feel any better to know that this was my only free day before I had to jump myself into the world of responsibilities again. I was just going to tough it up until I went home where I could curl up on the couch with my comfy blanket while eating _Campbell's Clam Chowder._ Yeah, I know, yuck, but I actually love that stuff.

Though, again, most people will wonder what kind of responsibilities an eighteen year old could possibly have besides worrying about graduating high school and what deciding which college to go to. Though I have always made sure I was responsible ever since I was fifteen. After all, I wouldn't be able to rely on my parents for the rest of my life. That's why I chose to get a job in order to buy my own food, help pay the car bill and insurance, and even give my parents some rent money. It's not as much as what full fledge adults deal with, considering they have to pay multiple bills, but my parents and I agreed that it would help me learn responsibility. Especially since I was majorly irresponsible fifteen year old but I'm not going to get into that just yet.

Holly opens her mouth to say something but stop short when her eyes land on something behind me. The color drains from her face and drops the fry in her hand. A ting cold shoots through my body before I turn around to see the source of Holly's horror. My blood runs cold when my eyes make contact with the undead man across the food court. He held a tall, slender form that was covered with a black. His leather coat, pants, and boots: black. Even his hair was black and his eyes were a dark brown, almost black. Like the night that suited the undead, vampyre vibe he was giving off. The only splash of color on his dark demeanor was the blue crescent moon imprinted in the middle of his forehead along with the elegant lines around it seemed to glow off his pale skin. His dark eyes were staring back across the food court. Toward me.

I tried to convince myself that he was staring at Holly but as his long slender legs made their way closer to our table, I knew he was coming for me. His eyes never left contact with mine; my eyes that were a wide as a scared rabbits.

My breathe freezes in my throat when the man steps right in front of me. His voice slicked through the air toward me as he spoke the ceremonial words that every Tracker spoke right before every fledgling was marked.

"Estella Isolde! Night has chosen thee; thy death will be thy birth. Night calls to thee; hearken to her sweet voice. Your destiny awaits you at the House of Night!"

He lifts a long, slender finger and points it at my forehead. The middle of my forehead explodes in pain as the food court grows silent. The only sounds that echoed through the room were the clacking of the Tracker's boots as he walked toward the exit and the air around me being sucked in between my lips in a hiss as I hold my forehead.

My breath finally coming back to me, I hiss out the words, "Fuck this."

The images of three years ago flashed across my mind. My then boyfriend and I were walking home from archery practice. It was hobby for me and something that he was extremely passionate about. He was making goofy jokes at me, his sandy colored waves blowing in the wind. I adored everything about him right down his big, brown eyes. Though our joking and laughter was cut short when we noticed the Tracker standing at the end of the street. My then boyfriend had gripped my hand tightly. We knew one of us was going to be Marked. We were the only two walking down the street and the Tracker was making his way toward us. We both knew who it would be, too. My then boyfriend had been sick that whole day. Coughing, body aches, runny nose. He looked awful even though that didn't matter to me. So when the Tracker finally reached us, he said the ceremonial words while my then boyfriend was pale as a ghost. Once the Mark was on his forehead, the crescent moon glowed against his skin.

 _Glowed._

I wonder if the crescent imprinted on my forehead was glowing. I already had a creamy complexion which I was sure was as pale as a vanilla milkshake at that moment. The crescent was sure to stand out like a flashing billboard.

After the minute of silence, the food court broke out in the sound of chatter. All around I could hear people saying, "Oh my god, did you see that?" And, "She's one of those _freaks._ "

Heat rushes through my body before I grab my purse and sling on my shoulder before grabbing my chili cheese fries and drink. I glance at Holly, who was stile pale with shock. She opens her mouth to say something but the words get caught in her mouth. At this, I shake my head at her before darting out of the food court, making sure to throw my trash away on the way out. As soon as I reach outside, the sun beaming down on me causes my skin to burn. I was pale and used to getting burnt but never this quickly. This hurt like _hell_ and I was to get inside my car. I dart through the lines of parked cars, finding my blue BMW. Fumbling for my keys in my purse, I finally find them, unlock the door and jump into the driver's seat. A heave a sigh of relief, thankful that I had changed my mind on lightening the tint of my window. It didn't completely stop the burning sensation the sun was causing but it helped.

Heaving a sigh, I curse, "Fuck this," again before cranking the car up to go home. I could only think about how I was too old for this and how fucked up it was that the vampire goddess had decided to Mark me to be one of her fledglings.

I had always thought that typically fledglings were Marked between fifteen and seventeen. I had no idea that they could Marked when they were eighteen. Well, I guess maybe any age with a "-teen" added at the end could be Marked. Which sucks, to be honest. I have so many things I need to do, needed to do, and now everything has gone into smokes. I feel like my life has just been ripped apart, the same feeling I had when my ex-boyfriend was Marked and when he refused to try to figure out how our relationship would work. Though this time it was a hundred times worse because of what was at cost. How was I supposed to tell my parents that I had to go to the House of Night of Tulsa? How was I supposed to drop every one of my responsibilities for this school? I was on my way to moving out of my parents' house and getting my house. On my way to becoming a responsible adult. Now it felt like I was set back to being a teenager because I wouldn't be considered an adult about vampyres until I completed the change; if I completed the change. And that "if" worried me more than anything.

My eyes stung as I drove down the road to my house. It hurt almost as bad as that time I accidentally squirted Mean Greene in my eyes when I was eight years old because I was such a genius back then. My hands burned as the sun came in through the windshield like I had been sitting outside all day and forgot to wear sunscreen so my skin decided to scream at me. I had already been Marked for thirty minutes and I already wanted my refund. Maybe next year?

Swinging into my driveway, I pull up to the garage and park my car right outside it. As I grab my keys and put them in my purse, a pulse of fear finally bolts through my body. The reality was setting in that everything was about to change. It wasn't like I was afraid of suddenly turning Goth or emo or becoming a bloodsucking parasite; I was afraid of losing my family. While my family are usually pretty open minded they would still be upset that everything I've worked for has been for nothing. I had no idea if they would be disappointed that I was now something that we all thought I had avoided. My parents know that fledglings can't help being Marked and they would no way hold it against me personally but they were also afraid of the vampyres. I mean, who wouldn't be afraid of the unknown? While vampyres are no secret, humans still didn't know what was fact or fiction when it came to how they live. Do they need to drink blood to survive or is that simply just a craving? Do they sleep in coffins or regular beds? Do they eat regular human food and if so, will I still be able to eat my spaghetti with garlic?

There are so many questions that none of us knew the answer to just yet. Though the biggest question I had wasn't about the vampyres behaviors or how they lived their lives. No, I could care less about the vampyres because I couldn't shake the sickening feeling that my world was about to be ripped up from underneath me.

While anxiety rushes through my veins, I open the door to my house, knowing that someone would be home at this time. Someone was always home and I hoped it was my mother instead of the nanny that we had hired. This hope burns inside me as I hear the sound of plastic dropping on the hardwood floor and the thumping footsteps running from the living room and down the whole. My anxiety and aches disappear the moment I see the bouncing sandy blonde curls of my favorite three year old as she runs to me with her arms outstretch. I squat down and scoop her in my arms once she reaches me, the smell of candy filling my nostrils as I bury my face into her hair and neck.

"Adalynn," I whisper as I clutch her close to me.


	2. Chapter Two

A wave of emotions hit me as I hold Adalynn close to me, her little arms wrapped around my neck. The tears that I had been holding back since the Tracker had marked me were finally flowing free. I was so afraid of what would happen and Adalynn was the only thing that brought me to ease. She was the sweetest little girl and she could always bring my mood up, no matter what was bringing me down. Though as I held her close to me, for the first time I felt unease and worry, like I was waiting for the worse.

The sound of laughter comes from down the hall followed by footsteps. "Just slam your toys onto the floor, Adalynn Grace," my mother's voice rang. I try to control my sniffling but my mother catches onto it. "Someone's home early. What's wrong, Estella?"

I shake my head, feeling like I was the three year old child instead of Adalynn. "Everything's gone terribly wrong, mother," I whine as I run my fingers through Adalynn's sandy curls.

"What happen?" My mother walks closer to us and tugs Adalynn away from in order to get me to look at her. I keep my head down as she picks Adalynn and places her on her hip. "Estella look at me," she demands, worry lacing her voice.

I stand up slowly, taking care to cover the crescent moon on my forehead in the process. I look at my mother and I was sure my blue eyes resembled a crying child's. "It-it just happened," I cry. "One minute I was listening to Holly, the next he appeared and fucked up everything."

My mother makes a face at my use of the "f" word but ignores it and asks, "Who's he and what did he do?" Her eyes flicker to my hand covering my forehead and realization clicks across her face. "No. That can't happened." She shakes her head. "Put your hand down," she demands, anger spreading across her face. When I hesitate, she speaks louder. "Put your hand down, Estella."

I slowly put my hand down as my mother watches me wide eyed. The look of horror on her face told me that the mark was there and stood out like flashing light. The only person in the room that wasn't distressed about it was little Adalynn, who stared at my forehead in wonder. Her clear blue eyes were wide as she reaches her hand out in a grabbing motion. "Pretty," she says in awe and my heart almost broke.

A smile breaks out across my face as I hiccup as cry back. "You think so, Adie?" I ask the curious three year old. I reach out to touch her but my mother backs away from me. At this reaction, I furrow my brows. "Mother? What's wrong with you?"

"You can't touch her, not when you're-" she pauses for a moment, her eyes flickering back to my forehead. "Not when you're one of them."

At this statement, I gasp but it turns into a cough. I had almost forgotten about my aching body and the coughs that made me feel worse than what I was. Though none of the aches compared to the blow my mother just gave me. " _Excuse me?"_ I screech slightly after my coughing fit stopped. "Did you just tell me I can't touch Adalynn?" Anger was building up in me. It felt like my mother had just slapped me across the face. "Last time I checked you did not carry her for almost nine months and went through almost forty-eight hours of labor with her," I snap at her, appalled that she had to audacity to think she could keep Adalynn away from me.

" _I_ am her mother, not you," I spit.

My mother shoots me a nasty look. "You are no longer suitable to be her mother. Look at yourself." She glares at my forehead.

I clench my fist at her words before taking a deep breath. "Let Adalynn go to her room so we can talk," I tell her while crossing my arms over my chest. Whatever was about to be said, I didn't want my daughter to hear it.

My mother holds Adalynn closer for a moment before sitting her down. She rubs the side of Adalynn's face while smiling at her. "Go to your room, dear. Mommy and I going to have a discussion, okay?" Her voice was soothing which cause Adalynn to nod her head.

My mother hugs Adalynn before letting her go. Adalynn looks up at me, her big blue eyes watering. "Mommy?" she questions, unsure of whether to leave me.

Giving her a smile, I nod my head and blow her a kiss. "I love you but go to your room for a few minutes, okay?" I tell her. At my words, Adalynn's eyes quit watering and she smiles at me before bouncing down the hall. Once she was finally far enough away, I look back at my mother. "You know I'm the same person and I didn't want this," I say to her.

My mother shakes her head. "You also didn't want to be a teenage mother but look where you are now," she spits, her words feeling like ice. I always knew my mother hated me being a mother so young. I mean, what mom would approve of that? Though I had thought we had gotten over this, especially with all the work I had done since I had been a mother. "I just don't think you will be a suitable parent while you're a monster."

I click my tongue at this. "Did you seriously just call me a monster?"

A look of regret flashes across her face. "You're just not going to be suitable now that you're one of them." She tries to ease her monster statement but it still sounded just as bad.

"Do you honestly believe that this effects my ability as a mother? I have worked my ass off to being a kick ass mother and you're just going to say I can't raise my child anymore now that I have a crescent moon on my forehead," my voice raises with every few words.

I couldn't believe that she thought a tattoo on my forehead magically changed how good of a mother I was. It was like a slap to the face. Ever since I had found I was pregnant with Adalynn, I stepped up and took responsibility for my action. Yes, it was completely dumb and irresponsible to get pregnant at fifteen. Yes, it was stupid of me to have sex at such a young age with someone who wouldn't stay in my life forever. But that didn't stop me from finding a job in order to provide for my child and it didn't stop me from raising my daughter. I had to juggle school, a job, and motherhood for three years and because of it I had no social life. My life revolved around my child and while it was a "mistake," I wouldn't change anything about it and I wasn't going to let some vampyre goddess change the fact that I was good mom.

My mother shakes her head. "I'm calling your father so we can figure out what to do," she mumbles as she pulls her phone out of her back pocket.

Crossing my arms, I kick my leg out and tilt my head. "You mean call dad so he can call a lawyer to figure out what you should do legally." Since my parents had money, they would use their lawyers to sort out the majority of problems that they faced. This wouldn't be the first time they threaten to use legal actions against me. When they first found out I was pregnant, they told me if I made any mistakes as a mother, they would get custody of my child by saying I was too young and irresponsible to handle her. And every time I made a mistake, they would bring it back up. Now with being Marked, they had the perfect excuse to take my daughter away from me. Well, at least try to take her away.

"Estella, don't make it sound like a bad thing. You know it's in the best interest for Adalynn," my mother says trying to convince me that she was honestly thinking about Adalynn. Though I knew that it was because she never wanted me to be a mother and was still mad at me for being one.

I open my mouth to say something but another cough erupts from my throat. I was feeling worse by each passing minute. I knew it meant that I needed to get to the House of Night. Fledglings couldn't stay too far away from adult vampyres or else they would die. It would suck if I didn't even get to make it to the House of Night. Though while I pissed at my mother, I did need to figure something out about Adalynn. Surely I couldn't take her with me. I mean, what parent would take their child with them to a school for vampyres? What if they viewed as a late night snack? I couldn't risk her life and take her with me. Besides, would I want to be known as the first fledgling to have a child at the House of Night? Surely the other students would give me a hard time about that. I could just hear them calling me a whore or a slut and that I should've kept my legs closed. That's the typical things people to say to teenage mothers anyways.

Taking a deep breath, I finally relaxed and let my anger submerge. I walk pass my mother and motion for her to follow me into the living room. She doesn't argue against this and when I sit on one of the couches, she sits on the one adjacent from it. "Mama, let's make a deal," I say to her as I cross one of my legs over the other.

My mother raises an eyebrow at me. "What kind?" I could tell by her voice that she was feeling a wary still. I guess I couldn't be too mad at her. Most parents with fledgling children acted scared when they found out their child was marked.

"I can't take Adalynn with me, you know this," I begin, gaining her full attention. I could tell that she was hoping that I would just say would make her and dad Adalynn's legal guardians. That wasn't going to happen though. "I won't give you and father custody of my daughter. That I can't do. Though she does need you guys to take care of her and trust that you will take care of her, at least until I complete the Change."

After I say this, my mother's face turns red. "How can you possibly think you can still be Adalynn's mother when you're going to be stuck at that school with those bloodsuckers? And there's no guarantee that you'll survive the Change." She was right on that last point. Not all fledglings are guaranteed to survive the Change. But that didn't matter to me. I was thinking about if I survived the Change. Adult vampyres don't have to stay at the school and I could make a life for Adalynn and me after I left the school.

"There's no question of who will be Adalynn's guardians if I don't survive the Change. It's obvious that you and dad will gain custody of her if something were to happen to me." My mother looks at ease with this. "But right now I am still alive and I am still Adalynn's mother. I know you will take care of her and all I'm asking is that you guys won't stop me from seeing her on the weekends and during holiday's." I didn't know exactly how I would be able to see her. I knew I couldn't be away from the school for long but I was sure that at least for a couple hours out of the day I would be able to visit home without having to worry about getting sick.

My mother paled at my request. It was obvious that she didn't want me to see Adalynn now that I was Marked. Which, if I might add, was quite selfish. I had every right to see my child, even if I was a vampyre.

"I don't think it would be wise to take her to that school filled with those creatures," my mother says making excuses. "And you can't come back here because you have to stay at that school."

I tilt my head. "I'm sure an adult vamp would come with me to make sure I stay healthy. They wouldn't even have to come inside, though that wouldn't be the proper way to treat someone." I wasn't backing down from this. While I had no problem excepting this new part of me, I would not accept not being able to have my child apart of my new life.

My mother to starts to say something that sounded like I should wait for my father to come back though she's cut off by the sound of the front door being open. From the whining coming from that direction followed by a deep voice, I realized that my father and younger sister were home. And it was clear my sister was in trouble because her voice was a higher pitch than usual and the fact that father was with her instead of being at work.

"Dad, it's not that big of a deal," my sister's voice protests from the hall.

I could hear my father sigh. "You're grounded, Olivia," he retorts, his voice laced with irritation.

Great, just what I need. For him to be irritated already.

"But dad, she started -" My sister's words are cut short when she walks through the door and she catches a glimpse of me. "Holy shit," she gasps as her eyes glue to my forehead, her blue eyes wide.

"What your language, Oli -" My father cuts his words off when notices how my mother and I were sitting there in what was obvious as a serious discussion. His eyes then fall on my forehead and an unreadable expression takes over his face. "I'll be damned," he mutters.

Olivia scoffs. "And he tells me to watch my language," she mutters before letting a huge sigh out. "Great, now you're going away and won't have anyone to talk to after school while I'm grounded," she groans as she plops down on the couch beside me.

My sister didn't care about vampyres. She actually thought they were cool and I'm pretty sure she's always wanted to be Marked. She'd never vocalize it because she wouldn't want mom and dad to get upset.

"You shouldn't have been street fighting, Olivia," my father snaps at my sister as he sits beside my mother.

Olivia shrugs at his comment. "The other girl started it."

My father rubs his temples. "I don't care who started it, you shouldn't have fought her. Now her mother is threatening to take legal action." My father runs his fingers through his salt and pepper hair before looking at me. "And my oldest daughter is now a vampyre on top of being a teenage mother. You children are nothing like I thought you would be."

 _Ouch._ That actually hurt. I had always been a daddy's girl and to hear him talk about me like I was giant disappoint to him actually stung. "It's not my fault I was Marked," I sulk, crossing my arms over my chest.

My dad's deep brown eyes stare into mine. "Yes, but you've secretly wanted to all along. You've been wanting to get back with that ex-boyfriend of yours and now that you're Marked you can," he spits in disgust. He had always hated my ex, especially since he got me pregnant and disappeared out of my life. Well, it wasn't like it was his fault that he was Marked but he also refused to answer my calls about the baby and made it clear that he never wanted to see Adalynn.

I roll my eyes at my father. "Well, he is Adalynn's father, human or not," I start as a tug at my ginger hair. "Though that doesn't mean I forgive him and want to go find him. Besides, he's in Chicago and I'm here Tulsa." I shrug off the idea of seeing my ex. It wasn't like I was ever going to see him again.

"Yes, but wouldn't it be romantic if you guys do run into each other again," Olivia fake swoons, her hand placed over her chest as sarcasm seeps out of her mouth.

I scrunch my nose up. "Ew, no."

"Let's not talk about the Deadbeat but instead talk about your plans, Estella," my father brushes off my ex, thankfully not going into another rant about him.

A sigh escapes from me. "Well obviously I have to go to the House of Night or else I will die," I state the hard fact about being Marked. Fledglings could only go so long without being around an adult vampyre or else they would die before they even got the chance to start their new life. "I just want to be able to see Adalynn when I want to. I don't want you guys trying to keep her from me." I look my father directly in the eyes, letting him know that I was completely serious about the matter.

"Peter, dear, I already told her that -" my mother starts saying before my father lifts his hand up.

"You'll be able to see Adalynn. It would be cruel to keep you away from your daughter," my father decides before sending a sideways glance at my mother. "Really, Michelle. Were you seriously going to tell her that she couldn't see her daughter? She's her mother, not you," my father scolds my mother.

Olivia chuckles while running her fingers through her shoulder length brown hair. "Well, shit. Guess this means I'm on baby duty now."


	3. Chapter Three

When I first stepped onto the grounds of the House of Night of Tulsa, I felt like I had just stepped into a Gothic fairytale. While it wasn't as creepy as I expected, it still gave off that dark, vampire vibe where no one really wanted to get close to but curiosity would always get the better of them because it looked freaking cool. Though it was more than 'freaking cool.' It looked like a medieval castle and while creepy, it was completely beautiful with the faint lighting from the candles on the walls illuminating the walk ways. My crib around Adalynn's stroller tightens as my mother and I walk closer to the large doors. Right as my mother reaches out to open the door, it is pulled open from the other side before my mother's fingers touch the handle.

A tall, curvy beautiful woman greets us on the other side. Her long, wavy auburn hair falls graciously around her shoulders, accenting the midnight blue gown she wore. Despite it been late November, and this particular night being in the thirties, her dress was sleeveless and the front of dress stopped short of cleavage. Her deep emerald eyes shown kindness and power at the same time as she glances over us and her beautiful lips were pulled into a kind smile. While she was beautiful, the most breathtaking thing about her was the filled in sapphire crescent moon tattoo aligned with beautiful swirls resembling ocean waves on either side and around the side of her face. She was stunning.

"Merry meet!" The woman calls as she motions us inside. While the cold wasn't bothering me as much as usual, I knew my mother and Adalynn were freezing. We stepped inside and are instantly filled with warmth. The room was lit with the same faint lighting from candles hanging on the walls. This was nice and it didn't hurt my eyes like the light from the sun or from regular lights. It was also reassuring that Adalynn wouldn't wake up from it being too bright.

I look at the beautiful woman who was clearly in charge. "I'm Es-"

"Estella Isolde," the woman finishes for me with smile. "I'm Neferet. I'm the High Priestess at the Tulsa House of Night. I've been expecting you," she continues to explain.

High Priestess? I remember hearing about how that was a big deal in the vampyre world. High Priestesses were powerful and respected among the vampyres and they were specifically chosen by the vampyre goddess, Nyx. It made sense that someone so beautiful and radiating power was a High Priestess.

"Expecting?" I question her, a little wary about how she knew I was coming.

Neferet laughs at my unease. "Us adult vampyres usually know when a fledgling will be Marked a couple days in advance." She glances down at Adalynn before adding with a gentle smile, "We even know about your special situation."

The High Priestess leans down and stretches a long slender out to caress Adalynn's rosy cheek. Adalynn didn't stir, as she usually did when people touched her while sleeping, but instead smiled happily as if the woman's touch was sending her off to Happy Dreamland.

"You're the first fledgling in decades to have a child. While women used to have children at earlier ages before being Marked, recently human women wait longer to have children," Neferet caresses Adalynn's cheek one more time before straightening up. "It's quite exciting to meet a fledgling mother after all these years," she continues to say to me.

I scratch my cheek as I bite my lip and glance at Adalynn's sleeping face. "I guess it's cool," I grumble. Even it was amazing to her, it wasn't to me. After all, I had to leave my child until I complete the Change or I die and never see my child again. And even if I complete the Change, I'd still have to watch her grow old and die way before me. This wasn't a blessing to have a child before being Marked; it was curse.

A frown appears across Neferet's face and disappointed laces her voice. "Dear Estella, being Marked by the Goddess is not a curse. It is a blessing for the Goddess to choose you to be one of her children and I assure the Goddess has great plans for you." I'm sure my face showed I believed the complete opposite since the High Priestess frowned even more. "Do not worry, Estella. I'm sure if you confide in Nyx about your daughter's future, she will grace you with the blessing of having your daughter in your life for years to come."

I didn't believe this. Why would Nyx let me, no one special, have the right to see my child for years to come? That would mean Adalynn would have to be Marked, and it was rare for close family members to be Marked. At least that's how it was for siblings so I'm sure it applied to mothers and daughters.

Instead of saying what I was thinking, I say, "Maybe she will. I'll have to believe that she will."

Neferet smiles at my answer. "I have talked to the other professors, and your mentor, about your situation. We've decided that it will be okay for you to have a room for just you and Adalynn. All necessary toddler items will be provided for your daughter's comfort. We also have a couple adult vampyres who do not teach classes and will be willing to look after Adalynn if you do not wish to take her to class," Neferet explains just a petite woman enters the room.

This woman was just as beautiful as Neferet but in a different way. While Neferet held an elegant way about her posture, this woman was graceful and slender and walked on her feet like a ballerina. Her long blonde hair was almost silver and it swayed gracefully as the woman walked up to them. Up close I could make out the stormy gray of her eyes as she glanced over us, her eyes falling upon Adalynn last. Her Mark caught my attention and just like Neferet's, it was beautiful with a curled pattern and I could faintly make out what looked like jumping horses against the sides of the crescent moon on her forehead. While I had always thought that the vampyre tattoos were odd, I had to admit that they were breathtaking.

"Estella," Neferet starts, drawing my attention away from the new beautiful women. "This is Lenobia. She is our Equestrian Studies professor and she will also be your mentor."

Taking these words as her cue to speak, Lenobia says, "Merry meet, Estella."

I nod my head at her and smile slightly. "Merry meet."

"I will be the one you come to if you have any problems or need someone to talk to. You can typically find me in the stables but I also have an office where you can find me," Lenobia explains to me. "I'll also be the one who is responsible for reassuring Adalynn's wellbeing."

At the mention of Adalynn, my mind snaps back to the important thing that I needed to tell them. "I'm not bringing Adalynn with me," I speak out with a frown. This earns confused, concerned looks from both women. "I just don't think this is a suitable place for her to stay out, especially while I need time to get used to everything," I continue to explain before one of them could speak.

A baffled look appears on Neferet's face. "Who will take care of her while you're here?" She asks.

I wave my hand toward my mom. "My mom's a stay at home, mom. She's more than capable of taking care of her. And she's agreed to let me see her whenever I want," I pause for a moment before giving the women a firm look. "I am allowed to continue to see my child even while I'm here, correct?" My tone was sharp, a tone that I had grown used to using now that I had Adalynn. My sister and best friend would joke that it was my "mom voice."

The women exchange looks, probably surprised that I talked to them so sharply. Vampyres, from what I knew, didn't have many people who talk to them however they pleased. Lenobia speaks first while nodding her head. "I don't see how that would be a problem. We can let them come by on the weekends or before classes start if you're willing to be awake during the day. If you go back home, you can only be away for 24 hours before your body will start rejecting the change," she explains to me.

The thought of rejecting the change made my body jerk. While I had a feeling that I couldn't be away for long, it still was shocking to actually hear it. I didn't want to think about rejecting the Change. I desperately wanted my body to embrace the change, as soon as possible for a matter of fact. The sooner I changed, the sooner I could go back home to be with my daughter.

"Thank you for understanding. And just to be clear, I don't have anything against vampyres, I mean, I'll probably be one myself, but I just don't want my daughter to be around a bunch of teenagers all the time, you know?" I made sure to explain why I didn't want Adalynn there. It was true that I didn't care about the vampyres. After all, they were adults and knew how to act. Teenagers, no matter if they were human or fledgling, didn't know how to act around babies. I didn't want anyone to do anything to Adalynn that would harm her and I didn't want her to pick up any bad behavior.

Before anyone else got the chance to speak, small whimpers come from the stroller in front of me. I bite my lip right as the whimpers turn into cries as Adalynn realizes that she isn't at home but instead she's in an unknown place with two unknown women standing in front of her. I mouth the word 'sorry' at the two women as bend down to soothe Adalynn. As soon as she sees my face and notices that I'm still with her, she calms down as she continues to sniffle. Her wide blue eyes stare into mine as she reaches out her hands toward me in a grabbing motion. I smile at her before grabbing her and taking her into my arms.

"Hey, Addie," I coo at her while patting her hair. Her small hands smack across my chest but I ignore it. "Mama's gotta go to school for a little while, okay?" I start to tell her, hoping she would understand.

Adalynn have no indication that she understood but instead she just stared at my forehead. Her hand reaches out and touches my forehead. "Pretty," she says before bringing her hand to her face and rubbing her eye.

I nod at her. "Yes. Pretty. And that's why I have to stay here for a little while, okay, Addie? Right now I need you to stay with Nana and I'll see you in a couple of days," I tell her in a soft but firm voice in hopes that she would understand.

The message seemed to get across to her as an obvious scowl appears on her face. "I don't want you to go away," she whines, tears forming in her eyes.

My chest hurts as I use my fingers to whips away the tears forming in her eyes. "I promise I won't be too far away and you can see me whenever you want, okay?" I try to reason with her.

Adalynn shakes her head. "No."

I sigh a little before kissing Adalynn's cheek, careful to hold back tears. "It'll be okay, Addie. Be good for Nana and Livy," I tell her before squeezing her close to me. I can feel her struggle to breathe as she tries to calm herself down and as she hiccups tears. Adalynn never liked when I left her and it hurt that I would have to leave her behind. I wish I was able to keep her with me but it was impossible with the new circumstances, even if the vampyres had suggested letting her stay.

My mother reaches out to take Adalynn and I place her into her arms. At this, Adalynn screams while kicking her legs and waving her arms around. I swallow a sob before glancing at the two vampyre women. Seeing my distress, Neferet walks over to Adalynn and places her hand on her forehead. The priestess murmurs a few words to her causing Adalynn's eyes to grow heavy before finally closing. A smile reappears on her face as she falls asleep. Noticing that Adalynn wasn't going to wake up, my mother places her into the stroller.

As my mother and I send Neferet a questioning look, she says, "I helped ease her to sleep to calm her tantrum. She should sleep throughout the rest of the night."

I heave a sigh of relief. It made it less nerve wrecking to know that Adalynn would be able to get a good night's sleep even if I wasn't there. I turn to my mother and smile sadly at her. My mother holds her arms out, embracing me into a hug. She pats my back a couple times before letting me go. Smiling at me, she says, "I'll take care of her."

After saying those words, my mother walks out of the room into the cold November night. As the door closes behind her, I suddenly felt weak. It was the first night I was alone without Adalynn. The first time in three years. And it was heartbreaking. Taking a few deep breaths, I calm myself before looking at my mentor and the High Priestess.

"So," I start awkwardly, "I guess this is the part where I'm shown around or whatever."

Lenobia smiles at this. "Yes, it is. It's almost midnight which means you've missed three of your classes tonight but don't worry about it. Students should be getting ready for lunch soon so you can go to your room and get ready," the petite woman explains while motioning for me to follow her. I follow her into the hallway, which were still empty so I guessed class wasn't out yet. As I followed Lenobia, I take in the scenery of the school. The inside wasn't as creepy as I thought. In fact, it just looked like what I thought a regular private school looked like. It was kept up well and the candles on wall continued to give it that calm vibe as well as keeping the gothic theme. I was impressed with how nice it looked and it didn't really feel like a vampire school.

"It's nice here," I tell Lenobia, filling in the silence that was filling the air. Taking care of a kid for three years had made me feel uncomfortable with silence.

Lenobia laughs at this. "Yes, it is."

"So, what time do classes usually start?" I ask her, wanting to know what life was going to be like here. I also wanted to know when I would be able to talk to and see Adalynn so I needed to know the hours I was going to be stuck here.

"Classes start at 8 pm and 3 am. Dinner usually starts after 4 am and the gym is open until dawn. Nyx's temple is open all hours and formal rituals are held twice a week. We just recently had one the other night and the next one won't be for a couple more days," Lenobia explains to me. Great. A couple days from now would be when I wanted to see Adalynn. Catching onto my thoughts, Lenobia adds, "You'll still be able to see Adalynn. You should be back way before the ritual starts, anyways."

That was a relief. I didn't want to miss being around my daughter. A light smile is on my face as I clutch onto the strap of my purse. I follow Lenobia down the halls and corridors before she finally stops outside a door the another part of the castle like buildings. She opens the door and I follow her inside. Looking around it, I realized that it was the girl's dorms. Instead of being dark and creepy, the room was decorated in soft blue and antique yellow. Comfy couches and puffy pillows big enough to sit on decorated the room. Gaslight came from several antique crystal chandeliers and on the cream colored walls were oil paintings of fierce and exotic women. On the end tables sat freshly cut flowers, mainly roses, in crystal vases along with cluttered books, magazines, and other teenager girl stuff. There were several flat screen TVs around the room but none of them were on. I guessed that all of the TVs would probably be on once the girls got back from their classes. I didn't mind them not being here. I didn't want anyone to hear what I was going to asking Lenobia.

"Lenobia, can I ask you something?" I question her as I look away from the scenery.

Lenobia arches a brow before nodding her head. "Of course."

"I was wondering if you would be able to see if a fledgling from another House of Night was still alive or has already completed the Change?" I ask her before biting the inside of my cheek. While it was tough to ask her the question, a part of me needed to know how he was doing.

"I suppose I can. Mind telling me who it is?" Lenobia smiles softly at me but for a second I could see that the request troubled her.

I sigh. "Adalynn's father was Marked before she was born. I would just like to be able to tell my little girl what happened to her father." After saying this, I grab a sticky note from one the tables and jot down the name of Adalynn's father. I straighten myself back up and hand the sticky to Lenobia.

Lenobia takes the note, folds it up, and stuffs it into her pocket. "I'll look right into it," she says while pressing her hand against my back in order to guide me forward. Right as she begins to open her mouth the say something, the door behind us opens up to reveal a girl younger than me. Her dark eyes widen a little at us before a smile breaks upon her lips when she looks at Lenobia.

"Lenobia, merry meet," she addresses her before looking at me. Now that she was closer, I could make out the filled in Mark on her forehead and the curvy swirls around it that were before hidden behind her dark hair. "Merry meet," she tells me before catching me staring at her forehead and fidgeting awkwardly.

"Zoey, you're just the right person for this job," Lenobia addresses the girl with a bright smile. "This is Estella Isolde, our newest fledgling. I'll trust that you can show her around for me," Lenobia explains to Zoey before turning to me. "This is Zoey Redbird, the leader of the Dark Daughters. If you have any problems, Zoey will be happy to help you out."

I look at Zoey, who seemed to putting on a fake smile. To anyone else it probably looked genuine but as someone who was accustomed to wearing fake smiles, I could tell that this was an inconvenience to her. "Nice to meet you," I tell her, trying to lighten the mood.

"Nice to meet you," she says before looking at Lenobia. "Does she know where her room is?"

Lenobia shakes her head. "I was just on the way to show her when you walked in. Her room is at the end on the hall on the left." After saying these words, Lenobia looks back at me. "I'll hope to see you later and I'll look into that problem for you," she says before walking away from Zoey and me.

After Lenobia walks out of the room, Zoey turns to me. "Problem?" She questions, curiosity overcoming her bad mood.

"Don't worry about it. It's nothing major anyways," I lie to her. It was completely major but I didn't want to advertise to the whole school that I was teenage mother who didn't know where her baby daddy was at. I also had no plans on telling anyone about Adalynn. I didn't want her to be brought into petty teenage drama.

Zoey takes my answer before leading me up the stairs to the rooms. As I follow behind her, I noticed that she was wearing mainly dark colors and the thought actually made me groan a little. I wasn't as big of fan of dark clothing as I had been in middle school. I'll admit, it was little emo back in the day but after becoming a mom I realized that it was pointless to worry about emo fashion and I mainly just tossed on bright colors that Adalynn would like. Plus, it was cute to find outfits that Adalynn and I could match together and I didn't want her to wear those crazy emo outfits. Toddlers didn't need that in their lives.

"Here it is," Zoey says while pushing a door open. I raised an eyebrow at her for not using a key to unlock the door. Didn't they use keys here? I mean, I don't want anyone just walking in taking something. "Oh. Nothing is ever locked here. You see, the vamps are able to tell when someone breaks the rules and if someone does try to steal anyone's stuff, they'll know and punish them," Zoey explains to me as if she knew what I was thinking.

As I walk past her into the room, I say, "Well I guess that's handy."

I walk into the middle on the room, noticing it was about the size of a college dorm room, probably a little bit larger. On one of the twin beds, my black and white comforter with an Eiffel tower in the middle of it that I use to have before Adalynn was born was laid over it along with the matching pillow cases and my soft, dark blue blanket was at the foot of the bed. On the nightstand beside the bed was my lamp that had three crystal bubbles on the stand and gray lamp shade along with my wax burner in the shape of an owl. I noticed the wax burner was on and the scent of strawberries filled the room. A picture of Adalynn and me sat on the nightstand as well. On the desk on side of the room laid my MacBook, my makeup box, mirror, perfumes, and my favorite pens and pencils in a metal pencil holder. On the wall above the head my bed was one of my metal Marilyn Monroe pictures and on the wall on the side of the bed was my other Marilyn Monroe picture. My Eiffel Tower painting was also hung onto the wall and above the pictures was my fairy lights that provided a nice glow to the room.

"How?" Was the word that came out of my mouth as laid my purse on my bed.

Zoey walks into the room and closes the door behind her. "Oh, I'm sure your mom or whoever brought your things up here. Or the vamps just put everything up for you. It's kind of creepy but they know a lot of things," she tells me.

Creepy was an understatement in my opinion but I didn't say that out loud. Instead, my eyes fall upon a sheet paper laid out on my desk on top of my MacBook. I grab the sheet of paper and read the contents. I see my name printed across the top of the paper in bold letters. **ESTELLA SNOW, ENTERING THIRD FORMER** , it read along with a date from a few days before today. The date would've shocked me normally except for the fact that Neferet had told her that she was already expecting her.

However, I do question my name. "Snow?" I look at Zoey. "They changed my last name to Snow," I tell her while pointing at the paper.

Zoey looks at the paper before looking at me. "Have you wanted your last name to be Snow?" She asks me.

I shrug. "Well, yeah. It's a lot easier to say than Isolde," I admit but don't understand how it had anything to do with my last name being changed.

"Here you can change your name to whatever you like. With the vamp's intuition, they probably already knew that you wanted your last name to be Snow," she explains. "I mean, Montgomery is my old last name but I changed it to Redbird when I got here," she adds.

"Ahh, okay," I breathe before looking at the schedule again.

1st hour — Lit 101. Rm. 214. Prof. Penthesilea

2nd hour — Drama 101. Performing Arts Center. Prof. Nolan

or

Sketching 101. Rm. 312. Prof. Doner

or

Intro to Music. Rm. 314. Prof. Vento

3rd hour — Vampyre Sociology 101. Rm. 215. Prof. Neferet

4th hour — Fencing. Gymnasium. Prof. D. Lankford

LUNCH BREAK

5th hour — French 101. Rm. 217. Prof. M. Antoinette

6th hour — Intro to Equestrian Studies. Field House. Prof. Lenobia

"We have fourth and sixth hour together," Zoey tells me, peering at the paper.

I chuckle. "Well at least I'll know someone in those classes." Glancing at the paper again, I furrow my brows. "So we just pick whatever for second hour?"

"Mhmm. I'm taking drama with Professor Nolan. She's an amazing prof." Zoey's face was lighting up more, a change from the dark expression she was trying to hide earlier.

"I would take it with you but I suck at acting. I think I'm going to take Intro to Music. I've always loved singing and I can play the piano a little bit," I tell her while folding the sheet of paper up. I stick the folded up piece of paper into my purse and I sling it over my shoulder. "Doesn't lunch start soon?" I ask Zoey.

Zoey nods her head. "Yeah, I can show you to the cafeteria." She starts to head out the door before stopping and turning on her heel. She hurries over to the closet.

She starts rummaging through it before pulling out a couple articles of clothing. She hands me a black long-sleeved cotton blouse like the one she was wearing and a silk knit sweater that was a deep, pretty shade of purple with little black plaid lines running through it. On the breast of the sweater was silver embroidery in the shape of a spiral that glittered around and around in a delicate circle.

"That's our sign," Zoey says, breaking my attention away from the sweeter.

"Sign?" I question.

"Yeah, each class has their own sign. We're third formers so ours is the silver labyrinth of the Goddess Nyx," she explains to me.

I make an "O" shape with my mouth before glancing at the doorway in the room leading to the bathroom. "Well, Imma change," I tell her while waving the shirts at her as I walk. Once I'm in the bathroom, I close the door behind me and quickly pull off my cream colored sweater. I pull on the cotton blouse before pulling the purple sweater over it. I look at myself in the mirror and pat down the shirts to make sure they were fitting right before using my hands to fluff up my hair. As I looked in the mirror I noticed how the sapphire tattoo stood out against my pale skin.

I walk out of the bathroom to my desk and grab my makeup box. I sit down at the desk and look into my makeup mirror as I dab on some foundation and concealer. Normally I would've tried to contour to add more color but I stuck with adding blush in order to save time. Before standing up, I throw on some winged eyeliner and mascara. I walk a little past Zoey to the closet and pull out my dark gray ankle boots and replace my Toms that I was currently wearing with the boots. Finally, I back over to my desk, spray on some perfume, and sling my purse back over my shoulder.

"Sorry that a few minutes," I tell Zoey who was staring at the window.

Zoey jumps a little at my voice before smiling and shaking her. "No problem. Welcome to your new life at the House of Night."


End file.
